Spring wheel



July 29 1924. )1,503,424

. A. I nTTLE SPRING' WHEEL Filed oct. 13. 1923 of thespecifica'ton:

Patented july 29, 1924.

PATENT oFFicE.

nloisrirry Anson LI'TTLEQOF HAZELTON, WEST vIRerNiA.-

Y sir-RING WHEEL.' n

Application sied october 13, 192s, serial iro. 668,381. s

resiliency ofv a "wheel provided A with a pneumatic tire; A further object of the'invention is to provide sucha wheel in which' the active parts are protected fromdiit and from damage by weather or abuse. Still further objects are, neatness of appearance,

durability, simplicity of construction, cheapness' tof manufacture and' facility `of assemblage'and renewal of parts.

Referring to the drawing forming a partV Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a wheel Vin accordance with the present invention, showing in dotted lines the 'relation of' the annular rows of Ysprings to each other;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentarv sectional view ofy the .wheel on an enlarged scale On the line; 2 2, Fig-1, showingtlie Arelation of they` innerdiscsfof the wheelto thel outer discs,

therrelation of they springs-'to each other and? otherv internal structure; and "I f YFigl is a detail view,fon'-anfenlarged sca1e,:fof oneV yof. the springs .mounted lbe-` tweenthe `flanges ofthe `innerfaiid outer discs'. l Referring kto thedrawing 1in detail, 10

designates ythe hub of the wheel, lto which thetwo discsl 11 and 11a are rigidly attached by braziiig, sweating or any other suitable.l means, the discsbeing provided with outstanding annular flanges 12 and 13, respectively having depressions y14 formed therein, to'afford seats for springs B5, 36-as hereinafter set forth,'in the center of which are secured pins 15 projecting radially-froml thelanges; f The discs covergetoward one another in the direction'of Ythe treadof ther wheel'andyaref` united atj their vouter.

edges by laY web 16havingf'depressions 17 formed therein', affording' seats'fsimilar to' thedepressionsM for springs 137 centrally secured therein. [A seriesof aperturesy 1,8 is formed in each ofthe discs 11 and 11a, said apertures 'being arranged in a circle which is concentric' with thehub of the4 wheel, and

- the apertures .18 of the disc 11 are iii alignment with those inthe disc 11a. Agsecond paifrfofdiscs and 21 envelop 'the discs 11 and 11a and ak plurality of apertures aligning with, but of smaller size than, the apertures18in thejdiscs V1 1* and llafare formed inthe discs 2O and 21. Bolts 19 ex- Vtend `rthrough the apertures of the discs-2G and '21 and the apertures 18 ,ofV the discs 11 vand 11a. The bolts 19 closely fit the apertures in the discsy20 and'A 21 but are` of smaller diameter thanwtherapertiires 418.7 of the -discs 11 and 11a to aiorjd ,play ofthe discs' 2O and 21 radially of the wheel relatively to the discs 11 and 11a.' The Ydiscs20`v and 21 areprovided at their inner edges witlraiinular riianges 22and- 23 corresponding to the lianges12 and 113 'of the discs '1 1V and 11a, and the flanges 22'aiid 23 are pro- .vided with apertures 24 corresponding to,

and adapted/to aline with, the depressions 14C Vof the flangesv 112jand .13.A lvhe'apertures 24 are closed by plugsj25 threaded intothe apertures 24. vEach of the plugs 25 ha s ay keiff- 2,6 into whichja tool maybe H inserted-V for'tightenin'g them the apertures. jY The plugs' have also st,e1ii's;-.27,;fora Ipurpose which will presently appear. :The 'discs 20 fand 21 1 converge fori a certain; distance' toward their "outer, 1 edges and aire adapted to lle parallel t0 the: discs ll andinas-re,- spectively. 'The disc 2Ol is providedwith a yflange 28 of curveducrossl sectionjand yak lateral web 29 which extends towardthe; ,disc 21,- saidweb having apertures 30 therein c'orresponding to, and. adapted' to be `brought into alinement with, the depressions 17 of the web 16, said apertures 3() being 'closed by threaded plugs 31, similar to the' plugs 25, and having stems 27 thereon. The web 29 constitutes the felly of the wheel and is provided on its edge with a' seat against which the disc 2 1 bears adjacent the-outer edge of the latter. -Thepartof thedisc 21V which bears againstr` the s eat of the' web v29 and said seat itself lie in aplane parallel to the central' plane off the-wheel.n The edge' '0f the discs. 2l isprovded with aflage 32 similar to theflange 28 an`d with apen-' tures adaptedtoalinewith threaded' sockets in the felly. Studs 33 extend through-the apertures of the disc 21 and engage the threaded sockets or the disc 20 to secure the discs 2O and 21 together. The flanges 28 and 32 are designed to grip the bead of a solid or other tire 34 therebetween.

To- -afford resiliency and elasticity of movement, the wheel is provided with circu lar rows of springs 35, 36 and 37, arranged between the respective seats and plugs hereinbefore described. The springs 35 and 36 are arranged symmetrically in 'circular rows on both sides of the plane of the row of springs 37. An annular plate 38 bridges the space between the flanges 12 and 22, and a cap 39 is secured to the flange 23. The axle t() which carries the wheel extends through the aperture in the annular plate 38 and the hub of the wheel. A nut 41, is mounted on the outer end of the axle and bears against the flange 13 to secure the wheel to the axle. The disc 38 and the cap 39 are secured in place by suitable means such as studs 4:2.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the present invention provides a wheel upon which a solid tire may be mounted and which at the same time will afford the resiliency of a wheel having a pneumatic tire mounted thereon. By the arrangement of the springs 35 and 36 under compression and in two parallel annular rows, a balance is obtained and a resiliency which, in combination with the springs 37, afford a wheel which is durable and at the same time yields to changes of pressure erted thereupon. The springs and the parts with which they are associated are so constructed as to provide for a slight lateral play, but to prevent excessive play in that direction, the bolts 19 and apertures 18 also allowing for play radially of therwheel between the discs 20 and 21, on the one hand, and the discs 11 and 11a on the other, so that when the `vehicle is started, the inertia of the wheel will be gradually overcome and sudden shock on the parts of the wheel will be avoided. The arrangement is also such as to fully protect the mechanism of the wheel vfrom dirt and injury and to conceal said mechanism from view. The construction also affords means whereby the more delicate parts are made accessible for repair or replacement.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A wheel of the character described hav- .ing inner and outer pairs of discs arranged to flarletoward the hub and having annular Hanges at their inner edges, and springs arranged between said flanges.

. 2. A wheel of the character described hav-v ing inner and outer pairs of discs arranged to flare toward the hub and having annular flanges at their inner edges, and springs arranged between said flanges, the inner discs having apertures therein and the outer discs being connected by bolts extending through said apertures and of smaller diameter than said apertures.

3. A disc wheel of the character described comprising a hub, a pair of discs mounted of discs and having annular flanges spaced from said hub, and springs between said hub and flanges.

t. A disc wheel of the character described comprising a hub, a pair of discs mounted on said hub and converging toward their outer edges, a second pair of discs also converging toward their outer edges slidably arranged relatively to said first named pair of discs and having annular flanges spaced from said hub, springs between said hub and flanges, a cap attached to the outer of said flanges and an apertured disc to the inner of said flanges.

5. A wheel of the character described comprising a hub, discs secured to said hub converging toward their outer edges, said discs being provided at their outer edges with a uniting web having seats therein, a pair of discs also converging .toward their outer edges and slidably mounted relatively to the first named discs and having at their outer -edges a uniting web constituting the felly of the wheel and annular flanges on their inner edges, springs between said webs, and springs between said hub and said flanges.

6. A wheel of the character described comprising a hub, discs secured to said hub converging toward their outer edges, said discs being provided at their outer edges with a uniting web having seats therein, a pair of discs also converging toward their outer edges and slidably mounted relatively to the first named discs, said last named discs having at their outer edges a uniting web constituting the Jelly of the wheel and annular Hanges on their inner edges, springs between said webs, and springs between said hub and said flanges, said last named springs being arranged in annular rows symmetrically with relation to the first named springs.

7. A wheel of the character described comprising a hub, discs secured to said hub converging toward their outer edges, said discs being provided at their outer edges with a uniting web having seats therein, ya pair of discs also converging toward their outer edges and slidably mounted relatively cally with relation to the first named springs,

said flanges and said felly having apertures in alignment with the springs associated therewith, and plugs threaded into said apertures. i

8. A wheel of the Character described comprising a hub, a pair of dises converging toward their outer edges and having outwardly extending annular flanges aff0rding an aperture to receive said hub, a second pair of dises converging toward their outer edges and slidably mounted within said first named dises, said'second pair of dises having; a web between their outer edges and each havingV an annular flange eoniplemental to and lying in spaced relation to the flange of one of said first named dises, the flanges of said second pair of discs having seats, springs between the Complemental flanges of said pairs of dises, each of said springs having oneof its ends resting in one of said seats, a cap covering the aperture of the Hangs of one of said first named dises, an annular plate secured to .the flange of the other of ed to grip a tire kmounted thereon,l andk springs between said felly and the web of said-second pair of dises.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

ROBERT ANSON LITTLE. 

